


Fall to Pieces

by luhlia



Category: Persona 3, Persona Series
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, F/M, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I'm Bad At Tagging, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance, Teenage Drama
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-28
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-09-01 17:02:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16769254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luhlia/pseuds/luhlia
Summary: Minako is the transfer student, who Mitsuru wants to correct, who Junpei wants to befriend, who Yukari wants to know, who Akihiko wants to be with, and who Shinjiro wants to...whatever. They all want something from her. But she doesn't want to have anything to do with them.





	1. The Transfer Student

**Author's Note:**

> No Dark Hour. No Shadows. No Persona. Just plain old teenage drama.

**Fall to Pieces**

_**Chapter 1: The Transfer Student** _

After ten years of running away from that place she is suddenly whisked back. Ten years composed of six years getting shipped off from different relatives, two years of getting used to Chanel, red stilettos, Clinique, and the Bvlgari and vodka scent of her aunt, a year of becoming the most popular girl in school, and a year of blowing it all off.

Now she is coming back where she came from, where she is supposed to be in the beginning, and where she is to go forward and create a clean slate. It could have been home.

Except that she doesn't belong here.

They move in an apartment around Iwatodai. The unit isn't like what they had back in Tokyo, which was nice and spacious and high-maintenance but this new one is decent and clean. Her new room is covered with an old rose-colored wall paper, a space that would fit a bed, a closet, a desk, and a bedside table — all of which are simply modest; it also has a window with a nice view overlooking towards Port Island.

She is used to moves, after all she had been doing it all her life, but this time it's different. Because this time she's the one who caused it. She and her aunt had to move because _something_ happened. Because she did _something_. And she supposed that she should pay or get punished for it but she isn't and that was wrong. Really wrong.

She's getting away easily. Too easily.

Her aunt even told her to use this chance and make it worthwhile. Start again.

No. That couldn't be it. She isn't supposed to just move on and forget everything and assume a new face in this new town with this new people who didn't have a clue of what she is.

* * *

Five times suspended for five different offenses, caught smoking and drinking at school, got involved in fights, vandalized school property, arson…

And the list went on.

Mitsuru glares at the profile of the new transfer student. If all her offenses were accounted for she sure won't be accepted in any school especially Gekkoukan, but the fact that the girl was a special case made the school Board to do so. No ordinary student would probably get away with it. The Student Council President had nothing to say about her grades though, they were absolutely perfect. The girl graduated receiving the highest Honor award _with distinction_ from middle school and without a doubt she could probably achieve the same at high school. Not to mention that there was a long line of list of extra-curricular activities at the next page. The forms even indicated her very good character from the past years.

Deducing from the information that the faculty had passed on to her, Minako Arisato was an achiever and a very good student before. A very amiable person too from what the other records show. But now, she is a terrible problem to teachers, staff, and students.

It made Mitsuru curious to learn what is wrong with this Minako Arisato. What kind of bad crowd did she get herself into that she would become a problem student (troubled person)? What changed her?

The only thing indicated on the papers was about a tragic accident where the girl was involved and that was it. Mitsuru thinks that she should at least have the right to know what happened if they think that she should help in handling the nightmare. However, Arisato's aunt refused to disclose the event for privacy and other reasons attached. They indeed have a reason for moving to a place where no one knows them and that she understood.

But the principal knows. _Because_ he's the principal he has the right to know and not to mention the guidance councilor. But she's Mitsuru Kirijo, she technically _almost_ owns the school. Shouldn't she have some kind of privilege too?

Nonetheless, Mitsuru will make it her personal duty and responsibility to watch over Arisato. She might likely find out what happened to this girl.

Arisato will be a welcome addition to Mitsuru's work. She has after all had never been interested in a delinquent case before, besides Shinjiro Aragaki of course.

* * *

Akihiko walks up the stairs towards the rooftop of the school to locate his best friend who likes to hang out there most of the time rather than inside a classroom, but instead of finding Shinjiro he finds a girl lying on a bench with an arm covering her face. She doesn't stir when he approaches near, which gives Akihiko the thought that she might be asleep. Akihiko wonders if the girl doesn't feel quite cold sleeping there despite the chilly wind of the leaving spring. He opted whether to wake her up or let her be. He is sure she'd get in trouble for not attending class but what if she intended to cut class anyway. Akihiko supposed that he shouldn't intrude on other people's business but he always believed on doing what is responsible, an attitude that irks Shinjiro in lengths.

Akihiko hovers carefully on the girl's form to shake her a bit, but then she shifts and raises a knee that makes a creamy leg get exposed. The wind brushes her black skirt and sends it to waves. Akihiko looks away quickly, his face and ears all red.

Suddenly, he doesn't have the will to wake the girl up anymore. He walks away. He is about to close the door when he hears a voice that makes him freeze on the spot.

"Leave it open." The voice says.

After calming down Akihiko faces her slowly. She is now standing.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you. But…aren't you supposed to be in class?" He is thankful that his voice is even and that his face isn't feeling hot anymore.

The girl merely stares at him with the most striking red eyes he had ever seen. A few seconds later she stretches out like a cat, completely unruffled by his presence witnessing this act.

"I know." She says.

And then passing by him, "Aren't you supposed to be in class too?"

The girl doesn't give him the chance to answer as she goes down the stairs and leaves him on his own.

* * *

Mitsuru checks her watch for the umpteenth time. She had been standing in the middle of Gekkoukan High's lobby early since that morning waiting for the transfer student who is yet to make an appearance. The bell had rung already and she's ten minutes late for her own class. Being Mitsuru Kirijo didn't mean you could slack off and take advantage of your position, actually, you have to be more responsible. A Student Council President late for her own class surely would receive a reprimand for being a bad example to other students, not to mention the rumors that would fly about her and her reputation of being a model student.

Mitsuru massages her left temple. She didn't think waiting for a transfer student would produce such dire consequences. She should have expected as much trouble from a transfer student who doesn't show up for a week and has an unruly record from her previous school. Dire indeed.

* * *

I suppose I should say I'm lost, but the fact that I've found the place where I should go – the Faculty Office – erases that. I'm on the 3rd floor, the seniors' floor I think, if the statement on the handbook was true and the map was accurate. Not that I purposely read it because I was interested but I read it only because I didn't want to have strangers give me a tour.

I turn left to a corner and I come face to face with a very composed elegantly postured red-haired girl. She looks at me with her startled beautiful face which contorts into a frown but it doesn't lessen her look of perfectness.

"Are you by any chance Minako Arisato, the transfer student?" The red-haired girl asks me with a commanding cold tone, her chin jutting up proudly.

I surmise that she could be my escort. If I remember right the student council president, was it? I'm not very lucky today, I think, to have stumbled across someone of all people, it had to be her. Then again, not many students would be out in the hallway during class hours.

"Yes, that's me."

"I'm Mitsuru Kirijo, the Student Council President. I believe we should have met at the front lobby this early morning."

Mitsuru Kirijo looks at me with steely eyes that she gives me the aura of an adult it's amusing. Maybe I should play along for a while.

"I got lost. I'm bad with directions and I got carried away by a large throng of people when the bell rang. I didn't know who to ask." I say and tuck a lock of hair modestly behind my ear for added effect.

Mitsuru Kirijo gets this confused look on her face before letting off a small smile. "I see."

"Come with me, I'll walk you to your class. It's 2F, on the second floor. It would be wise to read the student handbook so you will know where to go and what to do when the need arises."

She turns around gracefully, like beauty queens do on stage or like models on a runaway, —and she walks like one too— or maybe I'm just exaggerating. She continues to walk ahead of me, as if she's expecting me to follow her with a wagging tail but I just stand there and stare at her and watch. I wonder if she won't notice if I slip away from her from behind. However, I doubt this girl is so easily fooled.

Mitsuru Kirijo —damn, I'll just call her Mitsuru since it's so tedious to keep repeating Mitsuru Kirijo to myself— looks over her shoulder to check if I'm following her and when she sees that I haven't moved from my spot she raises a fine eyebrow and asks, "Shall we?"

"Maybe I should just skip first period and go in at the second period. I don't want to disturb the lesson."

Mitsuru turns around fully to face me and sends me a warning glare. " _Arisato_."

"What?" I ask, trying to act innocent. Complete with wide eyes and clueless expression.

"I _know_ what you're trying to do. I've been informed of your… _misbehavior._ That is why I am personally checking up on you along with the faculty staff."

"Oh." _Oh,_ wow, sucks to be her then. I feel sorry for her. Well, not really. But pity maybe. Yeah, I pity her.

"So that's why even though you could have sent a student representative or another member of the council it's the President who came to see me. Now I know. Thanks, that makes it a lot easier."

I grin at her and it makes her a lot more wary.

"Made what easier?"

"Hmmm, you'll know when you know it."

Mitsuru just glares at me and it isn't fun anymore and totally boring that she doesn't have anything to retort. I sigh and walk toward her, but instead of stopping beside her or have her resume her pace I just pass by her and continue along the hallway until I reach the stairs. When I made the first three steps down she follows my heels. I stop.

"So, where are we going?"

"Your class, 2F."

"I'm supposed to show up at the Faculty Office first, right?"

"There's no need. Since _you're late_ I've already made arrangements. Ms. Toriumi, your advisor, will receive you there."

I give Mitsuru a look, meaning where I stare at her up and down and check her out. And as expected she gets irritated. I frown and pout to show her I don't appreciate what I see.

"You're so…"

"What?" She asks briskly. I smirk.

"Uptight and… _boring._ Loosen up _._ Maybe you should get—"

"Don't even finish that sentence Arisato. I'm warning you." She sounds so scary. But I'm not the type to get scared.

"— _laaaiiid."_ I drawl out.

Mitsuru turns red and her eyes turns into slits, which proves my point. "You!" She bellows at me, her fists trembling on her sides. We really should get moving.

"Let's go!" I scurry down the stairs.

* * *

Yukari can hear the voice of one annoyed Mitsuru Kirijo from the hallway scolding someone, someone called Arisato. The door slides open and everyone in class looks at the distraction. Beyond the door stood the Student Council President and a girl, presumably Arisato and the rumored transfer student who hadn't showed up for about a week until now.

The girl walks inside the classroom breezily, followed by an indignant Mitsuru Kirijo. The senior clears her throat and addresses Ms. Toriumi, but all the attention is on the new girl. Yukari notes that there isn't a speck of make-up on her face or a hint of balm or gloss on her lips, but she looks pretty. Definitely more than pretty that she could make _the_ Kirijo princess get unnoticed by every occupant of the room. All eyes are on the new girl as she stood at the front looking bored and giving off an aura that it's the last place on earth she wanted to be.

"Behave Arisato." Kirijo-senpai says icily. Arisato chuckles.

"Don't miss me too much okay."

Yukari watches intently as Kirijo-senpai leaves with squared tired shoulders while Arisato smirks nonchalantly.

"Mitsuru might have mentioned your name earlier but it is imperative that you introduce yourself to your classmates. It will help them get to know you and might as well become your friends." Ms. Toriumi explains to the transfer student, Arisato. Yukari wonders why she didn't catch it when Kirijo-senpai said the girl's name.

The new girl snorts before she takes the chalk from Ms. Toriumi's hand and writes her name on the board. She faces the whole class and then throws the chalk behind her after.

"I'm Minako Arisato. Sixteen. If it's not important don't talk to me and we're going to be fine."

Silence.

Ms. Toriumi's mouth is gaping open to voice a protest but she isn't insulted so what is there for her to reprimand. Yukari is surprised and thinks that this girl totally has guts to act all high and mighty in front of _the_ Mitsuru Kirijo, a teacher, and a whole class.

Yukari hears her classmates' murmurs and Junpei's amazed whisper but she doesn't pay them any mind, instead she focuses on Minako Arisato's next action. The girl strides across the room towards her and sits (sort of lands herself actually) at the vacant seat beside her, which is also in front of Junpei.

"Someone already sits there." Yukari says blandly.

"Yeah, he's just playing hooky." Junpei agrees.

She gives them both a short glance.

"Well, he's not here. Nobody is sitting here right now so I can take this seat."

"That's right. Minako can take that seat since it's vacant right now. _He_ shouldn't have been absent if he doesn't want his seat taken." Ms. Toriumi assents.

Yukari stares at Minako Arisato as she shrugs and slouches her back on her newly acclaimed chair. It seems school days won't be much boring as usual anymore.

From then on Minako Arisato has earned a reputation.

* * *

Lunch break. Junpei feels giddy. He is excited to talk to the pretty new girl in front of him. He won't miss this chance of a lifetime. He watches first as she arranges her things and picks up her bag before she slides her long shapely legs off her chair to stand. Junpei follows behind her closely as he looks (not ogles, mind you) at her features clearly. She has an hourglass shape he could tell despite the uniform, she isn't skinny nor is she built with muscle, she is more on the slender type, definitely slender Junpei muses. Her hair is caught in between auburn and reddish brown, so maybe russet. As for her face he already knows she is very pretty. There is no doubt that the new girl is attractive.

Junpei is startled out of his musings when she turns around sharply and frowns at him.

"Are you following me? What do you want?" She snaps.

"Uh...no, I wasn't. I was…wondering if you wanted to know where to find the cafeteria." Junpei swallows hard. He finds that new girl's scowl can definitely burn.

"If I did I probably would have asked already."

She turns away and continues walking but after a few steps she turns back on him.

"So where's the cafeteria?"

Junpei couldn't help but grin.

"I can take you–"

"No. I don't need you to take me there. I only asked for directions because I can find it on my own. Now, will you tell me or not?"

"Yeah, well…it's on the next building. First floor past the east hall. You can't miss it." And before she could go he adds, "It's Junpei."

"What?" She asks. A fine eyebrow lifted up in inquiry.

"I mean my name is Junpei. Junpei Iori. Yoroushiku Arisato-san."

"Okay. But just call me Minako. I don't like it when people call me Arisato and with a suffix."

And then she leaves.

When he couldn't see her among the throng of crowd anymore Kenji comes up beside him sliding an arm on his shoulder.

"B cup." Kenji says in his conspiratorial tone.

"Really? Didn't notice." Junpei replies. However, the goofy smile on his face betrayed his words.


	2. Bad Day, Bad Habits, and Bad Ass Guys

**Fall to Pieces**

**_Chapter 2: Bad Day, Bad Habits, and Bad Ass Guys_  
**

I have a splitting headache and I feel some kind of residue on my throat that tastes like dinner last night. I swear on my parents' grave to never ever drink whiskey again.

Two aspirins for breakfast didn't make any difference. I still feel like trampled garbage and the ground swings under my feet. I wonder whatever the hell I was thinking yesterday to give myself a hung over on the second day that I would go to school.

I forgot to stop by my locker and I'm running fifteen minutes late. When I open the classroom's door everyone's eyes are on me. Ms. Toriumi says something incomprehensible to my ears so I just ignore her. There's an idiot on my seat, the idiot is probably the original owner of that seat. I can shove him out of the chair or I can look for another space. But because today is a bad day I park myself on the vacant chair at the back of the classroom. Every student on Class 2F looks away disappointed for being deprived of early morning drama.

A guy with a blue cap grins at me before facing back the board while a brown-haired girl looks at me intently. Oh shit. What did I do yesterday? Who are those guys? I can't remember because whiskey is fogging up my brain. Did I get my homework done? Was there even homework? I don't know and I'm caught between not caring and worrying over.

So I do the best option, I freeze my mind and let myself go on auto-pilot, at least until lunch.

* * *

The bell rings. Everyone packs up. Some go out and some stay. Bentos are placed on desks.

Lunch time, finally.

Now, I remember the guy. The girl isn't much. It's the guy who would probably be sticking his nose around like he did yesterday. He hasn't said anything yet but I already feel tired.

Junpei Iori comes up beside me grinning like a total idiot. I only remember his name because I'm good at storing information how useless it might be and I hate it. I slouch lower on my chair and stare ahead.

"What?"

It took some time before he responds, probably waiting for me to turn and face him but too bad I won't.

"You want to go to cafeteria together?"

"No."

"Oh! I know a good place where you can eat your bento peacefully."

"No."

I can find a place on my own and it won't be peaceful if he's around. I don't even have a bento. And I'm not even eating lunch. I stand up and leave without a word. My bag proclaiming authority over my chair is message enough that I'll come back.

I let my feet lead me into stairs that goes upwards to almost empty halls. I am unfortunate today or maybe the timing is just off because I hear horrifying squeals and distorted giggles across the hall. Fan girls. Apparently they exist everywhere. In the center of their flock is a silver-haired boy who looks like an annoyed superstar surrounded by monkeys.

I think I remember him. I think I've seen him before. I continue my trek upwards to a place with the promise of fresh air. No walls. No roofs. The rooftop. That's right. Yesterday I woke up and he was there, caught off guard as if he was guilty of something. Now that I think about it, it isn't surprising that he's popular. It'd be much more of a wonder if he isn't.

I open the door and I am welcomed by the chilly wind and muffled by a back that smells like sandalwood and cinnamon and smoke. Cigarette smoke. A smell I'm very much familiar with. The smell tends to stick. I couldn't help but snicker.

I move backwards and the guy turns towards me. I know it's a male because girls don't have broad backs like that. He looks at me like I'm the last thing he expects to see as if there's no way another person can pop out at the school's rooftop.

"What do you think you're doing here?" He says in a very gruff and very territorial tone that I'm supposed to be scared, but because I'm not an ordinary person I merely counter his glare.

"There's no rule in school saying I can't be here."

He stares me down and I let him have a good look. After a few seconds he falters somewhat.

"Tch. Whatever."

The guy lays himself on the furthest bench completely disregarding my presence. Two years ago it would have made me upset and insulted. Now, I don't care. There are a lot more things that matter than dealing with people who thinks they can ignore you. I wish I could have been just like this before, the person who ignores and wants to get ignored.

I sit at the opposite bench, curl my legs and hug my knees. I stare off into space and try to make out the shapes of the clouds. I don't see the cake-frosting white fluffs floating on the sea of blue. What I see is a broken girl and blood and darkness. Hollowness. Nothing.

My tongue burns and my throat is on fire. I need to quell it with a liquid or ignite it with a stick. I bite my tongue and force myself to look at the only available distraction. I examine the guy who seems to have fallen asleep on the other side of this vast expanse.

I close my eyes and try to picture his face, digging the fresh memory on the pockets of my disturbed mind. He has grey eyes that are covered by long fringes of brown hair, a perfectly chiseled jaw, and a line for a mouth any girl would be too curious to kiss. However, the bags of guilt under his eyes and the hovering demons behind him are what I clearly see.

Divert. Divert. Divert.

Diversion is the key to not investing. To dwell on a subject matter for more than ten seconds is vital.

I clip on my earphones and thumb the shuffle button of my mp3 on my pocket. Meaningless words and misused melodies pierce trough my ears. I wish I don't have to be at school right now. I wish I didn't have to leave Tokyo. I wish I could have run…

I wish a lot of things. Mostly I wish I could put myself in an eternal slumber and be Sleeping Beauty in a place where all princes are dead so no one would kiss me awake.

But fairytales aren't real. And I live in a world where in when you sleep you'll eventually have to wake up. With a Prince or not.

* * *

When I open my eyes I'm in Class 2F. Last period. Math. Twenty minutes left before the bell rings to announce the end of the day. Not really. The day ends when tomorrow comes and time is too slow that it can't be Sunday yet.

Miyahara spouts off nonsense in front of the classroom. Everyone stares at her, not to listen, but probably to stare at her bushy hair that is full of wonders. I stare too.

Actually, I like Miyahara's class. Not because I like math, but because watching Miyahara teach is like watching a stand-up comedian work some spoof but fail. She even has afro-hair and she has this dreamy look of talking about numbers as if its romance. That is if she's not confused on her own equation. She lost me with pi.

* * *

I ditched the first week of school. When my aunt got a wind of it she dialed school immediately to call in sick for me. Seriously, the lengths of what my aunt would do for me to cover me up are unimaginable. Normally one would think that I'm someone who shouldn't be spoiled. But I don't blame her, she probably have no idea how to raise me, more so with the idea of how to handle a problematic teen.

I skip my meeting with the great Student Council President and hit the streets of Tatsumi Port Island with a late afternoon stroll. I bet Mitsuru Kirijo would give me an earful welcome tomorrow morning and that is if I show up at school tomorrow at all. I'm not sure yet. Give it a month or two and she'd bust a nerve courtesy of my misconduct in her wonderful school.

After a week of being absent I should have known my way around. But no, it's not enough for me to know my way around. I need to know every nook and cranny of this city like the back of my hand so that I'll know where to run and hide when the time came that I needed to.

Three blocks past Iwatodai's main road I see a shrine. A neatly painted sign above the archway says it's called Naganaki Shrine. Out of curiosity I enter the shrine, which is actually decorated with a play set on the other side. It has a see-saw, slide, and jungle gym bars. By the farthest corner of the shrine is an Inari or something and in front of it a deposit of crystal clear water where people drop coins to make a wish. There's a Divine Tree too. At the center of the shrine is an altar with an offertory box and customary bell. I check the other wooden box located at the farthest right, which is actually sort of a fortune-telling box. Whoever thought of putting all of this together had a ridiculous sense of design. But that doesn't matter to me. I don't have anything against tasteless and disproportioned zoning. The place is clean, quiet, and there aren't many people around unlike the park. So it would do for a while.

I take a sit at the most secluded bench available and inhale the fresh air that Port Island offered that Tokyo never had. It's peaceful here and very far from the noise that people carried around them. Sitting here in solitude I wish that I could always stay in a place like this. Away from everyone and just by myself.

* * *

When I return back at my aunt's apartment she's already there. Fixing dinner. Take out dinner that is. Chinese food. Noodles, _again_. She can't cook to save her life. Seeing the dish my tongue suddenly starts to taste like bile.

I take a glass of water.

"How was school?" She asks and I answer her with the same response I gave her yesterday.

"School was school." I shrug and leave for my room.

"Aren't you going to eat dinner?"

"Nope. I'm still full."

The conversation ends there.

Truthfully, the only thing I ate the whole day was a single serving of takoyaki. My stomach is probably going to punish me for this but I just can't bring myself to eat because my tongue won't let me. It'll probably get flushed down the toilet afterwards even if I force myself to do it.

It's like my body hates me. Well, I hate it too. Not surprising at all because myself hates me and I hate myself too.

I have a stupid shitty self.


	3. What Not to Do on Wednesdays

**Fall to Pieces**

_**Chapter 3: What Not To Do On Wednesdays** _

The door slides open with a rattling noise and Arisato comes in. She walks languidly and smugly inside the classroom towards her seat at the end of the classroom beside a window. From the look on Arisato's face she seems to like that spot.

"You're late Arisato." Mr. Ekoda says sternly.

"I know. And everybody here knows. No need to point the obvious." Arisato replies, uninterested.

Yukari notes that the rebel girl completely doesn't care about the consequences of her actions. If she thought she could get away with Ekoda then she thought wrong. Nobody escapes Ekoda.

"I'll report your ill behavior to the Student Council President immediately after class. I'm sure she would give you a magnificent audience with the Principal."

"Go ahead. I'll even escort you. But I believe a warning is much more appropriate especially that today is the first time I attended your class late. That's what they would tell you too I bet." The innocent smile that Arisato adorns is so mocking that the other students snickers.

"You disrespected me!"

"How?"

Arisato tilts her head and completes the appearance of 'what are you talking about?' by putting on a clueless face. This increases the volume of snickers of the other students. Yukari shakes her head. She was right to think from the first time she saw Arisato that the girl was a delinquent. A unique talented delinquent who knows how to get her way.

"Why don't you proceed with the lesson now, Mr. Ekoda? We wouldn't want to waste our time in class, would we?"

"Don't think you'd get away with this. Now, everyone stop snickering and pay attention to the lesson!" Ekoda turns back to the board to resume what he's writing before Arisato came and grumbles something under his breath.

Before Yukari turns around to copy notes she catches sight of Junpei waving at Arisato acting like they knew each other well. The girl merely rolls her eyes and ignores Junpei. Junpei having been ignored rolls himself to face the board, but instead of Junpei being awkwardly hurt the boy is actually smiling contentedly to himself. Yukari glances back at Arisato, and it is probably a good minute of staring that she didn't notice, which is why the girl catches her looking. Arisato holds their gazes, and before Yukari could look away she sees the other girl smirk.

* * *

Arisato spends the whole History period sleeping and now at Mr. Takenozuka's class she is drilling a hole into the teacher. Yukari knows this just _because_. She would rather not think about why or imagine that she is keeping tabs on Arisato.

Yukari knows that Mr. Takenozuka knows. Who wouldn't notice if you are stared at mercilessly and unabashedly? But Yukari isn't interested on what Takenozuka thinks. She is more curious of why does Arisato actually stares at Takenozuka with the heat of a furnace.

Yukari is dragged out of her musings when Takenozuka clears his throat and announces a project where in they would be in pairs and that he would decide who would be partners. Names are called and there is a mixture of happiness and disappointment in the air. When Yukari's name is called she is surprised to be partnered with none other than Arisato. It's the last thing she could have presumed. Junpei voices his lament of not being paired with the new girl while Arisato clicks her tongue. When Takenozuka tells them to sit with their respective partners Yukari is right to assume that her partner would not stand up and come up to her so she makes her way towards the back of the classroom with slight distaste.

Yukari sits cautiously next to Arisato. The girl looks her over from head to foot the way a queen would to a lowly subject. Yukari – of course – feels offended, nobody stares at her like that but she lets it past her. She is not going to have a fight with a delinquent just because said person stares at her scandalously offensive.

"Hi, I'm Yukari Takeba. I hope we could get along well in doing this project." Yukari praises herself for having been able to smile even though forced.

The girl smiles back. And Yukari wouldn't like to admit it but it's like sunshine.

"Just Minako."

A bit startled Yukari nods.

Silence.

Yukari opens her book and reads the particular chapter for their project. Arisato... _Minako_ simply rests her chin on her hand and watches the blue sky that could be seen outside the window. Yukari just had to ask.

"Aren't you going to do anything? Like read?"

"You've got good grades right? No, let me rephrase that. You're good at this thing right?"

Yukari feels like she knows where this is going.

"Yeah..."

"We'll get by then. You do your thing, I'll do my thing."

"Meaning I'll do this on my own?" Yukari knew there is no point in asking but like hell she'd do the project by herself and let this delinquent leech off from her grade.

"Yes. See, you're fast in the pick up."

"No way. You're going to do your part. _You have to_."

"Oooh, is that a threat or a challenge? I'd like to see you make me."

Yukari gets flustered for some unknown reason. Minako laughs.

She stops pestering Minako to participate in the project for a while just so the girl would stop teasing her. She decides to try another time when she is more mentally prepared to face head on the smart remarks of one Minako Arisato. A new thought clicks in Yukari's mind.

"Why were you staring at Mr. Takenozuka intently earlier? You like him or something?" Yukari asks in a whisper without lifting her gaze off her book.

Minako looks at her as if she said something stupid and laughs.

"That last thing you said was definitely crazy. Why do you want to know anyway? Would you rather it was you I stared at than him?" The way Minako's eyes turn to slits gives Yukari a bad feeling.

"What! NO!"

Yukari only notices that she yelled rather too loud that she had caught everyone's attention is when Mr. Takenozuka scolds the both of them to keep quiet and refrain from shouting while doing their project. Yukari would have liked to retort that she is actually the only one who is doing _their pair's_ project but feeling rather embarrassed from her outburst she couldn't find the energy to do so.

"So-sorry." Yukari stutters.

Before she could calm herself Minako just had to have a say.

"I wouldn't mind staring at you, you know. You _are_ pretty."

Yukari wills herself not to walk out of the classroom and resorts to picture throwing the desks in her head to relieve a little bit of her stress instead.

* * *

The bell rings shrilly, signaling the end of the day and Junpei jumps up in his seat and runs up to Minako who is already on her way to leave.

"Hey Minako!"

"What?"

Now that she is actually looking at him and listening Junpei finds it hard to ask.

"Uhm...I know this great place that serves the best ramen and I was wondering if you'd like to try it. My treat!" Junpei could feel the sweat running down his back as Minako stares at him suspiciously.

"No."

"Wh-what! Why?" He whines but then he catches himself doing the unmanly-uncool act so he straightens up and clears his throat. He asks again. "Busy?"

"It's a Wednesday." Minako deadpans.

"Yeah." He confirms, but then she didn't really ask what day it was. He wonders what Wednesday has got to do with his question.

"I have to leave."

"Huh? Oh well, okay then...maybe next time..."

Unfortunately, she hadn't heard him because she is already walking out of the classroom.

A few minutes later, Junpei is making plans with Kenji when Kirijo-senpai suddenly arrives at their classroom appearing as if she is looking for someone.

"Do any of you know where Arisato is?" The esteemed Student Council President asks.

Nobody seems to know what to say though. And Junpei feels proud to have the answer.

"She left a few minutes ago, saying she's got to go and something about a Wednesday." Everyone looks at him dubiously while Kirijo-senpai regards him with a look and eventually sighs exasperatedly.

"I see. Thank you for the information." Kirijo-senpai tells him before she walks away. Class 2F isn't sure though if they heard right when a voice of Mitsuru Kirijo grumbles something along the lines of 'I knew it' and 'that devious girl'.

* * *

The door opens and closes with a quick snap, which catches Akihiko's attention that he looks at its direction. He is startled to find a girl with her head whipping left and right checking the boxing club's locker room. He finds the girl to be the same one on the rooftop the other day. When the girl finally notices his presence she stares at him. Akihiko realizes then how much he isn't wearing and fights the urge to cover his body with his arms.

She stares at him unabashedly. Unlike other girls she doesn't blush or squeal or gush or any other things they did when seeing him. She just stares, long and hard. Raking his whole form with her intense red eyes that it's the first time Akihiko feels uncomfortable in his own skin. It made him conscious if he looked fine in his boxing shorts and sweaty bare torso.

She locks the door, something he should have done beforehand so that he wouldn't have been trapped in this situation. Akihiko opens his mouth to say something but she beats him to it.

"If the Student Council President asks, I'm not here."

And then she goes behind the lockers at the end of the room to probably hide.

A knock comes from the other side of the door. Akihiko hangs his towel on his shoulder and partly opens the door. It is indeed Mitsuru like the girl had said.

"Hey…"

"Akihiko, have you seen a girl with russet hair and red eyes around here? She's the transfer student."

It clicks on Akihiko's mind that he was right to think that he hadn't seen her around school before, not like he knew every female student in school but he is sure that the unique red eyes are hard to miss.

Akihiko contemplates on what to tell Mitsuru. It isn't new that Mitsuru would come looking for a student around school but he's rather curious on why the girl would hide from Mitsuru. Involuntary designation of extra-curricular activity maybe? He wasn't sure but when it came to Mitsuru it's always serious business.

He doesn't know what overcame him that he lied. "No. Why?"

"Are you sure?" Mitsuru asks, who looks as if she wants to scour the locker room to be certain.

It makes him curious on how come Mitsuru would suspect a female transfer student to enter and hide in an all-boys locker room. However, her suspicion is right.

"Yeah. I'm sure. Is there something wrong?"

"No, there's nothing wrong. I just need to talk to her. Thank you though. If you ever see her somewhere around school today please send me a message immediately."

"Okay." Akihiko nods.

Akihiko watches as Mitsuru disappears down the hallway before he closes the door and returns in front of his locker. The girl reemerges from where she is hiding with her arms folded and with an amused face. She walks up to him, their bodies a few inches away. Akihiko wonders why the room feels hot all of a sudden.

"I thought you'd sell me out when I realized you know each other personally.

"Why were you hiding from her anyway?"

"It's nothing. She's just going to badger me about some kind of meeting."

She looks him over from head to toe once more and then her gaze travels back to his face. She holds him with her captivating eyes and licks her lips.

"Glad I could count on you."

She gives him a suggestive smile and then leaves him there confused on what actually transpired. He doesn't even get a thank you but that doesn't bother him. He is much more intrigued by the way she acted differently from the other girls, which he is actually grateful of.

**Author's Note:**

> Cross-posted at FF.Net


End file.
